Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 46

The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca

Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta

Devanagari script

विषमे विपिने घोरे दावाग्नौ गिरिकंदरे । संग्रामे शस्त्रसंघाते सिंहव्याघ्रनिषेविते ॥ ४६ ॥

Transliteration

viṣame vipine ghore dāvāgnau girikaṃdare | saṃgrāme śastrasaṃghāte siṃhavyāghraniṣevite || 46 ||

Translation

Im gefährlichen, schreckenerregenden Wald; im wütenden Waldbrand; in der Berghöhle; im Kampf, wenn Waffen aufeinandertreffen; und an Orten, die Löwen und Tiger aufsuchen—selbst dort währt der Schutz des Herrn Vishnu.

Word by Word

• viṣame: in a difficult (place)
• viṣame: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); adjective used substantively ‘in a difficult (place)’

• vipine: in a forest
• vipine: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• ghore: terrible
• ghore: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying vipine

• dāvāgnau: in a forest-fire
• dāvāgnau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāva + agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: dāvasya agniḥ ‘forest’s fire’

• girikaṃdare: in a mountain-cave
• girikaṃdare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri + kaṃdara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: gireḥ kaṃdaram ‘mountain-cave’

• saṃgrāme: in battle
• saṃgrāme: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃgrāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• śastra-saṃghāte: in the clash of weapons
• śastra-saṃghāte: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śastra + saṃghāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: śastrāṇāṃ saṃghātaḥ ‘clash/heap of weapons’

• siṃha-vyāghra-niṣevite: in (a place) frequented by lions and tigers
• siṃha-vyāghra-niṣevite: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: siṃha + vyāghra + niṣevita (निषेवित, कृदन्त from √sev सेव् ‘to frequent/serve’ with nis-)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle (कर्मणि भूतकृदन्त) ‘frequented’; compound: siṃha-vyāghrayor niṣevitam (instrumental/agent sense)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It lists extreme danger-scenarios to emphasize that sincere reliance on dharma and sacred recitation grants inner steadiness and divine protection even when external conditions are hostile.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

By portraying refuge in the Divine as effective everywhere—forest, fire, cave, battlefield—this verse reinforces bhakti as an ever-available shelter, not limited by place, time, or circumstance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It implies applied mantra-prayoga and disciplined recitation (connected to Śikṣā for correct chanting and Vyākaraṇa for accurate wording), where precision and faith together are treated as protective in crisis.